Since 1956, the Social Security program has provided cash benefits to people with disabilities. This annual report provides program and demographic information about the people who receive those benefits. The basic topics covered are

Your suggestions and comments on this report are welcome and should be directed to Angela Y. Harper at 410-965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov. Contact information is also provided on each table. This and other reports on the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs are available on our website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy.

Manuel de la PuenteAssociate Commissioner for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics December 2014

The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) program provides benefits to retired workers and their dependent family members and to survivors of deceased workers. The Disability Insurance (DI) program provides benefits to disabled workers, their spouses, and children (whether or not disabled).

Benefits are paid from the OASI and DI Trust Funds. However, not all disabled beneficiaries are paid from the DI Trust Fund. All disabled widow(er)s' and most disabled adult children's benefits are paid from the OASI Trust Fund. Persons receiving disability benefits from either trust fund are referred to in this report as Social Security beneficiaries.

Data for 2001 and subsequent years presented in these tables may differ slightly from other published statistics for two reasons. First, all data for those years are based on 100 percent data files. Second, beginning in 2001, the definition of an award was changed to include secondary benefit awards, subsequent periods of disability, and conversions from one class of child's benefit to another and to exclude reinstated benefits. Those changes resulted in a slight increase in the award counts.

In accordance with Public Law 111-256 (enacted October 2010), the terms “retardation” and “mental retardation” have been replaced by “intellectual disability.” This change in terminology does not affect the data presented, which are directly comparable with the data published in previous editions under the old terminology.

Beginning with the 2010 edition, tables and charts showing data by diagnostic group provide detail for mental disorders in these categories: autistic disorders, developmental disorders, childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified, intellectual disability, mood disorders, organic mental disorders, schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders, and all other mental disorders. In a few instances, a table showing data by diagnostic group has been split into two companion tables to accommodate the additional detail.

All years are calendar years unless otherwise specified.

Background

History of the Social Security Disability Insurance Program

Definition of Disability

Types of Benefits Available

Initial Disability Decision-making Process

Appeals Process

Benefit Calculations

Benefits Offset and Withheld

Work Incentives

Benefit Termination

Charts and Tables

Beneficiaries in Current-Payment Status(Charts 1–6)

Disabled Beneficiaries and Nondisabled Dependents(Tables 1–2)

All Disabled Beneficiaries(Tables 3–18)

Disabled Workers(Tables 19–27)

Disabled-Worker Families(Tables 28–30)

Beneficiaries Who Have Filed for Workers' Compensation or Public Disability Benefits(Chart 7 and Tables 31–34)